On 9/17/2017, I hiked solo via Mt Whitney main trail. In my descent, not far after I passed log bridger at Lone Pine Creek, I had briefly missed trail. It was late in the dark, and when I barely re-found the trail, there were three people came down and I confirmed with them. They, Don, Michelle and Nick, offered help to hike together to the Whitney Portal.

They told me they climbed Mt Whitney via mountaineer's route and then hiked out via main trail. After I saw they had faster pace than I had, I suggested they could walk faster and I would be a little slower. Two youngsters, Don and Michelle, accepted my suggestion and disappeared in the dark in very short time, but Nick stayed with me for the last 2.5 miles hiking.

Late, after we talked a lot during the hiking, I came to know, Nick is 70 years old, five years elder than I am. I am so grateful Nick was with me for the final legs of the trip. And it gave me a lot of warmth and strength in a cold night in the mountain for such a tedious journey. We became to know each other as I told him I have been in the US for 30 years and I am also based on the Bay Area. We exchanged the email addresses at the trail head, but we did not have a pen and paper to write down. (my mistake) Now I realized I miss spelled his email address...

If anyone happens to know him, please let him know I am so grateful for his help and would like re-connect with him. My email address: david_z_qi@hotmail.com

Nick is one of the first people I did MR with several years ago, and a generally great guy. One of the fine folks i've met in my growing relationship with these wonderful peaks. I'll pass on his email address in a DM. Glad you all made it out from a successful trip.